Objective To investigate the prevalance and risk factors of post-stroke depression(PSD)in patients with the first ever stroke during first year after stroke.Methods A total of 60 eligible stroke patients were followed up for 12 months after the first ever stroke and Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression,Activity of Daily Living Scale,Neurological Functional Deficit Scores,Social Support Scale and Eysenck Personality Questionnaire(EPQ)were used to investigate the incidence and risk factors of PSD in 2 weeks,3,4 and 12 months,respectively.Results The prevalence of PSD after the first ever streke was 18.18%(12/66),29.23%(19/65),38.09%(24/63),31.67%(19/60)in 2 weeks,3,4 and 12 months after the attack of stroke,respectively.Logistic regression analysis indicated that the major risk factors of PSD were female and introvert(b=-1.55,P=0.001;b=1.59,P=0.047)in 2 weeks,poor social support,low grade of neurological functional deficit score and female(b=-0.19,P=0.005;b=0.26,P=0.01;b=2.84,P=0.03)in 3 months.poor social support and low grade of neurological functional deficit score in 6 months and 12 months after stroke re-spectively(6 months:b=-0.24,P<0.001;b=0.35,P=0.004.12 months:b=-0.17,P=0.001;b=0.33,P=0.002).Conclusions The prevalence of PSD is considerable and the risk factors of PSD are different in different stage.

Objective To observe the effects of low frequency electrostimulation(LFES)on sleep disorder of patients after acute cerebral infarction(ACI)as evaluated by using polysomnography,and on the recovery of neurological deficits. Methods Seventy cases of acute cerebral infarction were randomly divided into two groups,a treatment group and a control group.Both groups were treated with routine drugs, and the treatment group was also treated with LFES in addition.The changes of neurological deficits(ND) scores and such parameters of polysomnography as sleep latency(SL),total sleep time (TST),sleep efficiency(SE%),sleep maintenance(SMT),rapid eye movement sleep(REM),REM latency(RL),REM time(RT),REM activity(RA),REM density(RD).stage 1 sleep(S1),stage 2 sleep(S2)and deep sleep (S3+4) were observed.Results It was shown that,after treatment,both groups got significant improvement in terms of the ND scores and all the polysomnography parameters except RA,S1 and S2,(P<0.01),and the treatment group improved to a significantly greater extend when compared with the control group (P<0.01).Conclusion It is concluded that LFES could promote recovery of neural function and sleep disorder of ACI patients.

BACKGROUND: Artificial nerve grafts of human hair keratin are a kind of biological products. It has low antigenicity,absorbability and stimulation to nerve fiber growth following specific biochemistry. It is hoped to have better effect than otherartificial nerve grafts.　 OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anatomy and histocompatibility of artificial nerve grafts of the human-hair keratin, and toobserve its effects on the repair of peripheral nerves. 　 DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: Randomized, controlled, animal experiment. The study was performed at the Animal CentralLaboratory of Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College between November 2006 and June 2008. MATERIALS: Artificial nerve grafts of human hair keratin is a compound of human hair processed by specific controlledbiochemistry based on ground substance, embedded with a layer of biological membrane. It has low antigenicity, absorbabilityand stimulation to nerve fiber growth following specific biochemistry. METHODS: Eighteen Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups. The sciatic nerve, 10 mm, was removed andtransplanted with human-hair keratin graft, skeletal muscle and untreated hair, respectively.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The characteristics of histomorphology and anatomy were observed at 8, 12, 24 weeks afterthe surgery. RESULTS: White tissues appeared between the broken ends of the sciatic nerve at 8 post-operative week in the graft group,and appeared in the graft space in human-hair keratin at the 12th week. At the 24th week, a large amount of infantile myelinatednerve fibers were observed under optical microscope regenerating around the human hair, which was partially degraded andabsorbed. Schwann cells were observed under an electron microscope and myelinization. 　 CONCLUSION: The artificial nerve grafts of the human-hair keratin are well compatible with the body tissues, and couldinduce nerve regeneration.

Objective To explore the relationship between the levels of Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn in serum and Parkinson disease (PD). Methods A total of 40 patients with PD (PD group) and 40 control subjects (control group)were enrolled in this study. Serum levels of Mn were measured by graphite atomic absorption, and Cu ,Fe, Zn were measured by inductively coupled plasma(ICP)mass spectrometry. Resudts There were significantly increase in the levels of Mn and Fe in PD group than those in control group [(0.269±0.326) μ mol/L vs (0.125±0.054) μmol/L, P< 0.05, (1.512±0.949) μmol/L vs (0.676±0.111) μmol/L, P< 0.01)]. There were no significant difference in the levels of Cu and Zn between two groups (P> 0.05). Condusion Micreelements may play important roles in pathogenesis and development of PD, especially Fe and Mn.